After finishing second in the Western Conference a year ago, the Memphis Grizzlies are back on top in 2023. Well, not on top, but they are back to being the second-best team in the West, an effort thanks in large part to Ja Morant’s continued All-Star caliber play.
Yet, there may be a growing sense that settling for second place, or in their case, losing in the Western Conference Semifinals as they did in 2022, is just not good enough.
Not to mention, the Grizzlies have a few draft picks they can afford to part with. In addition to owning all of their own first-round selections, the Grizzlies also own Golden State’s first-round pick in 2024.
With much of the core already in place in Memphis, with Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. the front office may see the trade deadline as the perfect time to push their chips all in.
Related: LeBron James passes Steve Nash for 4th on the all-time NBA assist list
O.G. Anunoby could become Memphis Grizzlies trade target
The Toronto Raptors are one of those teams that are stuck in the middle between determining whether they’re buyers or sellers. One name constantly mentioned in trade rumors is two-way forward O.G. Anunoby, who’s in his sixth season but is still just 25 years old.
The 23rd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Anunoby has steadily improved his game, and the Raptors also value his skillset as a player who can help on both ends of the floor and have been hesitant to part with the 6-foot-7 forward.
- O.G. Anunoby stats in 2022-23: 16.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 36 3PT%
Yet, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, there’s been rumors among NBA executives suggesting the Grizzlies could be preparing to trade for Anunoby. Another report from the Toronto Star has noted a previous team who once offered three first-round picks for Anunoby.
If that’s the price to pay, the Grizzlies have the draft picks, but would they be willing to part with them for Anunoby? From a team fit perspective, Anunoby would appear to be the exact type of player Memphis loves, a grit-and-grind athlete who leaves it all on the floor, night after night.
Yet, the Raptors also enjoy what the talented wing brings for all the same reasons other teams are enamored with adding Anunoby to their starting five, meaning a trade is far from certain.